South Bay Bus Rapid Transit

Faster, more convenient and frequent bus service is coming to Santa Clara County

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is revolutionizing bus service around the world with its dedicated lanes, state-of-the-art buses, and frequent service.

Now, Bus Rapid Transit is coming to Santa Clara County, with over 30 miles of BRT projects  planned along the Valley's most heavily utilized transit corridors.

TransForm is engaging community leaders and other stakeholders to ensure that BRT in the Valley is truly world-class; however some cities are wavering in their commitment to exclusive bus lanes for BRT.  That's why we need you to email your elected officials if you live in Santa Clara County.

Our goal is that BRT in Santa Clara County serve as a model for other projects around the nation by providing high quality public transit service while meeting community needs and improving safety for all users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.

For more information and to get involved, contact Chris Lepe.

Benefits Bus Rapid Transit can bring to Santa Clara County 

  • Faster and more frequent transit service: Each BRT line will operate at ten minute frequencies and run at least 30% faster service than local buses. BRT vehicles will have traffic signal priority, and cities will get to decide whether they want faster transit service by incorporating dedicated bus lanes.
  • Fewer cars on the road and a lower carbon footprint: Local bus service running along the planned BRT corridors already serves one out of every five VTA bus riders, and BRT will attract over 40% more transit riders. 4,555 metric tons of greenhouse gases will be removed annually just along the El Camino corridor if bus-only lanes are adopted due to a reduction in over 5,000 vehicles miles travelled per year.
  • Safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists: In areas where bus-only lanes are adopted, VTA can include pedestrian improvements such as bulb-outs (sidewalk extensions), additional signalized intersections, and bicycle safety improvements such as painted bike lanes.
  • Economic benefits: BRT has been shown to spur economic development and job growth, and VTA estimates that the El Camino Rapid could generate 4,780 jobs if exclusive bus lanes are pursued. Furthermore, BRT will speed up the commute for VTA’s existing transit riders, 60% of whom make less than $35,000 a year, resulting in greater access to economic opportunity for low-income families and students. 
  • Modern and innovative transit facilities: BRT will include more functional transit stations with real-time bus arrival information and ticket vending machines. New low-floor vehicles with diesel-electric hybrid technology with wireless internet access and comfortable seating configurations will give BRT a sleeker look and greater functionality and comfort than the typical bus.

What we're doing to shape Bus Rapid Transit in Santa Clara County

  • TransForm is engaging businesses, neighborhood groups, and other stakeholders so that VTA's Bus Rapid Transit plans are truly rapid and integrate community preferences and priorities. 
  • We are also partnering with pedestrian and bicycle advocates such as local schools and neighborhood associations to ensure that BRT plans integrate best practices in bicycle and pedestrian safety and that safe routes to the future BRT stations are planned for and financed.  Read our analysis of pedestrian and bicycle safety on the Alum Rock corridor.

Learn more and get engaged